


Enasalin

by Arlyshawk



Series: Enasalin [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Happy, Old Married Couple, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2015-06-04
Packaged: 2018-04-02 21:57:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4075261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arlyshawk/pseuds/Arlyshawk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Montsimmard changes when Warden Commander Mahariel comes for a routine meet with her fellow Commander.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Enasalin

**Enasalin**

A part of Loghain was missing when he left Ferelden to be stationed in Montsimmard. He hated leaving Naerys, leaving the country he fought so terribly hard to keep alive. His life wasn't in Orlais, it was across the damned border, where his daughter ruled and his lover commanded a good hundred Warden shields. Maker, he missed her. He missed her smile and her laugh and how the moonlight would shine in her silver-blonde hair when she did midnight practices with some of her men. Such moments were rare, fleeting, and he hated how they seemed to vanish like a dust storm. He felt ill. 

And he had felt that way for months, living with that sickening feeling of frustration and disgust for the people that learned to leave him well enough alone. Riordan was the only somewhat familiar face, and as much as Loghain hated the accent that came out of his mouth the Warden was the only person that seemed to like him. Others seemed to ignore him or were afraid to approach him. He didn't blame them, Naerys often said he oozed standoffishness. 

The true blooded Orlesians hated him, he could see it in their faces when they passed him, sneering and whispering like old hens. A few of them reminded him all too much of the men that took his mother from him, how they laughed. It only worsened the twisting sickness in his gut. He left the hall whenever they would come parading through, mostly to keep himself from barking at them. When Riordan asked him what was wrong, he shook his head and didn't give it a chance to make him gag. 

"I have good news for you," Riordan said as he organized a barrel of daggers. Loghain watched his friend with deliberation, noticing how Riordan smirked. It wasn't a smirk of pride, but one of knowing something the other didn't. 

"Out with it then," Loghain replied, moving aside a dagger that was lacking a pommel and hilt. Riordan tossed another dagger like the one he moved aside near his foot to move. "You seem so terribly smug about whatever it is." 

Riordan chuckled, "Always the straight shooter, eh? That is what I like about you. Anyway, I heard from Warden-Commander Clarel that the Warden-Commander of Ferelden was coming here." 

~.~.~ 

Montsimmard changed dramatically when the banners of Ferelden appeared on the horizon, lashing at the wind in tongues of gold and crimson with the rearing dogs stitched upon the cloth with the utmost care. There was pride there, in that moment and in him, as at least a hundred Warden shield come charging into the courtyard astride coursers that are a myriad of colours. 

He recognized many of the Wardens that began to dismount. Naerys' Second, a young man of twenty five with golden unruly curls that went by Darius was hefting his spear off of his Ferelden Forder. A dwarf rogue that was once a Legionnaire of the Dead was jabbering to a Dalish mage that seemed greatly uninterested and instead occupied herself with tying up her soft gold hair. But amidst all the waves of hair colors, shouts, silver and blue armor, he saw her glowing in the midday sun like a beacon. 

To hell with the Fereldan Wardens and the banners of his home because they all paled when he saw Naerys striding across the yard. She was the epitome of Ferelden, dressed in a cloak of grey wolf fur that was caked with snow and her mabari proud at her side. Bear cleared a path for her through the horses and men by barking. 

It was beautiful, like watching a dragon take flight in a moonlit sky. He tore himself from the balcony to make his way downstairs and out into the yard. He needed to see her... See that she was still alive and not some phantom. Too many times had he dreamt of her, only to wake and find no one, no Naerys, nothing. 

People congested the windows and any empty doorways and abandoned balconies all at once. They are whispering amongst themselves about the Dalish Commander of the Grey with the mabari at her side. He knew better than anyone why Naerys took Bear with her anywhere. Her men couldn't always follow her, but Bear could. There was no finer guard upon this earth. 

In-between the shoulders of his comrades he could see the brilliance of her hair and the fur bristling in the sharp, cold wind that seeped through steel and supple leather. Loghain saw Clarel standing in nothing more than her Warden mage robes, bracing the cold. Was the woman mad? If he knew anything about Clarel was that the woman had _no_ tolerance to cold. A rather big disadvantage in Orlais where the winters were as bitter as the ones in Ferelden. 

"Are you sure you're all right to be in this cold, Clarel?" Naerys' voice was genuinely concerned for the mage. 

"I am fine - thank you," His Commander replied all too shortly. "Come inside, my friend. I do not want your soldiers to freeze." 

Clarel's Wardens scattered when Naerys approached them, like flies on a corpse. They hurried out of sight, save him and Riordan. His friend was grinning from ear to ear when Naerys walked up to them, Bear bumbling behind. Bear was as he remembered, tawny and touched with grey despite the snow caking her snow shoe feet. The mabari let out a hefty bark and trotted over to him, only to ram her great head into his stomach. 

"Hello.. Bear," He groaned, patting the dog's thick neck. Bear let out a softer bark and kissed his gloved hand, backing away so he could meet her big, brown eyes, "It's good to see you too... And its good of you to not forget me." 

"How could she? You took up her spot on the bed, after all," Naerys teased and slipped a white hand around his gloved one. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, tasting the cold upon her skin. She had pale hands, little and flecked with silvery scars. Lifting his gaze to hers, he found her eyes smiling at him while her mouth formed a soft, gentle smile. Deep within him, he felt warmth spread throughout him like tongues of fire licking stone. Her smiles are impossibly rare and kind, like summer rain. "I have missed you, _vhenan_." 

Loghain offered her a tiny smile, but it faded all too quickly. "And I have missed you as well, Naerys." 

And then all at once, her smile was gone as Riordan inserted himself in-between them like a nosey child. Riordan smiled at her, "Warden Commander Mahariel, it's good to see you again." 

Naerys gave him a false smile, like a wolf flashing its teeth at an objector. It was all disgust and no love. Riordan didn't catch it, but Loghain did, perhaps quicker than he anticipated. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as Bear began to growl, a deep throated and dangerous sound that could have struck fear in the largest and stoutest of men. Naerys snapped and Bear laid down on the floor, quiet. 

"it is good to see you as well, Riordan," She said, brushing off the snow from her cloak. "If you'll excuse me, it was a long ride form the border to Montsimmard. Come, Bear." 

~.~.~ 

He returned to his room late at night, stiff and feeling pain lance down one side all the way down to his fingertips. His neck wasn't what it used to be, and the mage healers said it was shot. There was no help for it save not making it worse. The door opened and closed with a creak, the knob cold even through his gloves. 

His quarters were modest with a single Ferelden banner hanging nearby as a reminder... The reminder of how far away he truly was and of _who_ he was deep within. No Orlesian lion could make him change the fact that he was a dog lord down to pit of his being. 

Loghain took a few careful steps further, only to stumble over Bear's hulking form that was stretched in front of the hearth. His knee connected with the stone floor first - lancing him with pain - while a hand caught the edge of the hearth to stop him from falling all the way. The mabari lifted her head and wagged her stump of a tail at him. He cursed a bit as he straightened, his bad knee giving him far too much grief for that little stunt. It was all ready plagued by chronic pain, a bruise would only make it better... 

Bear let out a soft whine and gazed up at him sadly. He patted her head, knowing that Bear would no more harm him than fly. It wasn't her fault he tripped, after all. Besides, he couldn't stay mad at Bear... 

He stood, using the hearth as a brace before straightening all the way. Grumbling to himself about his fall and how it would restrict his movement some, he began removing his gloves. The leather was worn out, especially on his sword hand, it had become cracked and worn white. When he was younger, he used to ruin gloves at the fingertips... He shook his head, mostly to himself for thinking about when he used to poach, he was dimly aware of a pair of arms going around his middle and a kiss feathering onto his pulse point. He turned in her arms as she settled back onto her heels. He knitted his fingers at the dip of her waist. 

"I was wondering when you'd be back," Naerys whispered, her fingers smoothing over the straps of his armor. "I wanted to apologize for running off. Between Clarel and Riordan making me uneasy. I could not.. 

"I hardly minded. If you disappear, I understand," He replied, tucking a wave behind her ear. "What all did Clarel propose to you?" 

Naerys gave him a shake of her head, "Even I don't know that. She called me into her solar, only to give me a hug and tell me she was thankful that I came. I never understand Orlesians." 

He chuckled low, as she sighed, pulling up the shoulder of her shirt. It was green and almost too big for her. More than likely, it was one of Velanna's, the elven woman was slightly broader than Naerys was across the shoulders. There was golden leaves embroidered on the collar and sleeves, twining together like serpents. 

She poked his cheek, "What are you staring at?" 

"You," He answered flatly, though she crinkled her nose at him. "In case you might be a dream." 

She gave him a look as though he had lost his mind, though she smiled, "Do you? Awfully strange dreams you have then." 

He chuckled, "Darkspawn blood will do that." 

"May I?" She interrupted at once, hands hovering over a buckle on his ribcage. It had been many long months since she had done this for him... He gave her a nod and then felt her fingers prying at the buckle. When the buckle let out a jingle of release, she continued talking, "What makes you think I am a dream?" 

"I have not... had you near for a long while, or so it feels," He watched her silvery hair swish as she knelt down to open another buckle. Her eyes were focused upon the buckles and straps of leather, eyebrows drawn together in a furrow. "Do you need help?" 

"No, I have it. I'm simply not used to it," She let huff of frustration and looked up at him. "Is warrior armor always this... _complicated_?" 

"I suppose you could take a knife to it." Her eyebrows shot up at that and he reached down and undid the buckle for her. She tossed him a halfhearted glare before starting on another one. "Clarel is stingy with armor for her warriors. She has more mages than you can count." 

"Far more than I have," Her fingers graced his side and his skin leapt ever so slightly. "Many of our mages became apostates after Kirkwall's little problem and fled to the hills, raving like madmen. My ranks have _thinned_ because of it." 

"I'm sure Clarel could lend you more than a handful of mages," He sighed with relief when the last buckle was freed and she pulled the silverite plate over his head by standing on her tiptoes. It fell to the floor in a heavy thud beside Bear, who leapt to the side suddenly. She was close enough for him to kiss without much effort, so close he could see the fine strands of molten silver and white-gold in her hair. 

And then all at once, cold bit at his skin sending gooseflesh up in its wake like fire through hot grass. Naerys' hand wrapped around against the thin, unguarded skin of his wrist. She offered him a quick smile before turning away to sit on his bed. And in that moment, she was less an ethereal being and more his lover than ever before. She ran her fingers through her wavy hair that pulled at tangles and light knots until they were able to glide free. 

"Go on," She smiled as she combed the other side of her hair. "I promise I'll be right here." 

He made to wash up, but paused when he saw Bear rise, making for the bed, "Bear, foot of the bed." 

And at that, he heard Naerys click her tongue at her mabari while the hound let out a low whine. 

When he came back to his lover and her dog, the two were laying down. Naerys was propped up on Bear's belly while she read, knees cradling a large book while her nails picked at the yellowed edges. He could see the tops of her shoulders, while the rest of her was wrapped up a blanket that was a deep blue as the sea. 

"I take it you snuck out through the window to find that?" He enquired as he dried the water from his hair. His hair was shorter than ever before, and he wasn't quite used to it yet. Naerys snapped the book closed and turned a glare on him. He gave her a teasing smirk, "I hope I didn't startle you, my lady." 

" _Fenhedis,_ warn me when you sneak in!" He could see the faint pink on her cheeks from his spot in the doorway. She sat up and put the book on the bedside table, combing a hand through her hair. Then she winced when she shifted her weight around. And it's not a small one, it forced her slow her movement some and it pained him to see her going through it. Just because she was elven doesn't mean she was impervious to the same problems humans faced. 

"Are you all right?" 

She sighed, "It's nothing. Just a bit stiff." 

"Is it stiffness or pain?" 

She flexed her leg to show him that it was, indeed, not painful for her. He approached her side and placed his hand upon the flare of her hip. She flinched at his touch - lips twisting and face screwing up, " _Pain,_ shit." 

"You have what I have in my knee." 

She leaned back against Bear as he massaged her hip with a knuckle, "From what?" 

"Fell off of a horse too many times as a boy. It ended up biting me when I was thirty five when I was bucked off by a colt." She smiled at that, a young, foolish smile that was so very rare from his love. She wasn't the type to smile so freely, even in their quarters. 

"There's a reason we leave things to the younglings, old dog," She told him and then sucked in a breath as he dug into fibrous muscle. He flicked her thigh at her remark, but she let out a quiet scoff. "You know I only tease you because I must." 

"Because you _can_ , Naerys," He removed his hand from her hip, motioning for her to move it. If anything, he had learned to manage the pain that riddled him as he aged. It didn't surprise him that he had a bad knee and that his joints ached or not depending on the wind. But he never let it get to him... If a man of thirty that had lost an arm could manage, so could he, he always thought. 

Naerys touched his hand to draw him out of his thoughts. He met her dark blue stare and she gave him a smile, "Thank you, _vhenan_." 

Maker, she had striking eyes. They were made sharp by the marks upon her face - her heritage, a memory of a time many years ago when he wasn't with her. They twisted to make a crown above her eyes, colored like congealed blood. 

He kissed her then, softly like a promise whispered betwixt persons in shadowed corners. Her mouth fit against his own, warm and welcoming and _real._ She had seemed false earlier, some trick of the mind that the mages did to toy with him. Now he was sure because she was warm in his hands and alive. 

For in his dreams, Naerys became a ghost dressed is gossamer silk and disappeared like dust in the wind. Her fingers went into his hair, languid and gentle but not without purchase. She was twirling his hair about her fingers - it's a soft pull but he doesn't mind. Loghain traced her jaw with a careful hand, ghosting it over the point of her ear and then into her wavy hair. It was thick and course against his skin, yet there was a strange softness of it. He felt her traipse her fingers down the nape of his neck and then down the front of his shirt, picking at the stays. 

Releasing her, he kissed a line across her cheek to her the point of ear, nipping at it softly. The soft laugh that followed was barely audible to him - it's girlish, a whisper, a hush before it's gone. The ache in his heart was far more devious and clawing than he expected. It snarled and paced about in its cage as he embraced her tight. It wanted her, desired her, would go screaming into the night if he didn't have it by its leash. 

Loghain tucked his face against her shoulder, ignoring the cry in his heart. He felt her fingers rubbing soft circles into the base of his neck, the top of his spine, where she knew there was always a dull pain. He focused on her when his nerves fought back, alight with fire and zigzagging down his spine. She smelled of lavender and honey, of spring, and it calmed the edgy nerves that beg her to stop. 

"Are you all right?" She enquired, her fingers trailing down his back. He hugged her closer and she chuckled, "I missed you too, Loghain." 

_She doesn't understand just how deep it goes,_ He thought as he loosened his grip on her. She was fragile still, a blown glass bird in the grip of a giant. When he pulled back, she cupped his face in her slender hands to kiss his mouth again. It was a quick kiss, and she brushed his cheekbones with her thumbs as she pulled away. Perhaps, she _does_ understand. 

**Author's Note:**

> Though it says in the tags that my two Wardens are an old married couple, I use that loosely. Since the Fifth Blight, Loghain and Naerys have been together as a couple. They are married in all but name somedays. For those that are curious, Naerys is about three years younger than Loghain.


End file.
